Nation (university)

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A nation (Latin: natio meaning being born^[1][2]) was regional corporation of students at a medieval university. They were four in numbers according to the cardinal directions. These students who were all born within the same region, usually spoke the same language and expected to be ruled by their own familiar law.

In the University of Paris there were the French, Normans, Picards, and the English, later Alemannian nation. Jean Gerson was twice elected procurator for the French natio (i.e. the French-born students at the University) in 1383 and 1384, while studying theology at Paris. On the other hand, in Paris, Germans and Scotsmen were grouped in a single natio Germanorum et Scotorum.^[3][4]

It is a precursor of the modern nation, but could refer to smaller subdivisions, even cities, like Natio Misnensium^[5] to students from Meissen at the University of Leipzig, established in 1409, where other nationes were these of the Saxonum, Bavarorum, and Polonorum.[8] A similar division of students had been adopted at the Charles University in Prague, where from its opening in 1347 the studium generale was divided among Bohemian, Bavarian, Saxon and Polish nations. When there was not "natio" of given nationality, students were choosing other nation. In Italy Poles were customary signing into "northern" or "German" nations, sometimes even when Polish natio did existed in given university. At the University of Bologna, Nicolaus Copernicus in 1496 enrolled into the natio germanorum (Natio of the Germans).^{[6] [7] [8]}

Contents 1 Nations at Scottish universities 2 Nations at Swedish universities 3 See also 4 References

[edit] Nations at Scottish universities

Nations exist in some of the ancient universities in Scotland, although largely their significance has been forgotten.

At the University of Glasgow, nations were used until 1977, for Rectorial election purposes. The University has some four nations, originally called Clidisdaliae, Thevidaliae, Albaniae and Rosay, and later as Glottiana, Loudoniana, Transforthana and Rothseiana. Respectively, their heraldic symbols are: a two headed bird over crossed tools, an anchor over crossed tools, a horn over crossed tools and a sailing ship over crossed tools.

Three of the 'nations' consisted of defined areas in Scotland, with Loudoniana consisting of students from all other places.^[9] The heraldic symbols of the nations can be seen in the stonework of a number of university buildings, including the Glasgow University Union and the chapel, under the Latin title of the university. ^[10]

The University of Aberdeen also had a system of nations.^[11]Similarly, Aberdeen used the nations system for rectorial elections after the establishment of elected Rectors under the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858 (a practice only before known to Glasgow, and Marischal College in Scotland). The four nations elected procurators, who in turn chose the Rector of the wider university. In case of a tie, the decision was left to the university's Chancellor.^[12]

[edit] Nations at Swedish universities

At the Swedish universities of Uppsala and Lund, a system of student nations (nationer) remains, according to which each student at the university must enroll in a nation. These are named on regional lines, where the nations in Lund take their names from provinces and areas in southern Sweden, and those in Uppsala take their names from all over Sweden, except for the Scanian lands, the traditional catchment area for Lund, which was founded in 1666 to provide higher education for the youth in the newly-conquered areas. (There is a "Skånelandens nation" in Uppsala, but it has no activity, and only exists as a legal fiction for those students who do not wish to take part in the activities of the other nations.)

Traditionally, students were required to be members of the nations whose area one came from, but with one exception (Södermanland-Nerikes nation at Uppsala), this requirement is now voided. The nations are in charge of the kind of social activities which are at other universities normally handled by the student unions, such as bars, clubs, theatre companies, orchestras, sports societies, and also some housing.

[edit] See also

• Landsmannschaft (Studentenverbindung)

[edit] References